Levies Pass – Bond Fails

Voters in three out of four local school districts were in a generous mood yesterday. Voters in the Twin Falls School District approved a $7.5-million dollar 2-year supplemental levy. The measure was approved by 55 percent of the voters who cast ballots. The money will be used to cover operations costs and to restore the student-teacher contact days that were lost due to state budget cutbacks. The levy will cost property owners about $11.40 for every $100,000 in property value. Voters in the Jerome School District passed a $650,000 supplemental levy by 71 percent voting in favor. The Gooding School District voters pass a $325,000 dollar levy with 68 percent of the votes in favor. All three of the levy elections required a simple majority. Voters in Cassia County weren’t so generous. 55 percent of those voting turned down a $41.5-million dollar bond issue that would have paid for three new schools and upgrades at many of the district’s facilities. It’s the third time voters in the Cassia County School District turned down a request in the past three years. That bond election required a 2/3rds approval from the voters.